Something Wicked This Way Comes/The Path
by delf
Summary: Faith's time has come, she has hard choices to make that all lead to an end result.


Title: Something Wicked this Way Comes/ The Path. Spoilers: Directly set from Who Are You. Pre 5x5 Season 4 BtVS Season 1 Angel. Author/email: delf gashtvs@earthlink.net 

Finally the truck had stopped it's jarring charge up the highways and roads. Hours and minutes passed blurring into each other. The stow-away's only indicator was that the sun had long set. 

It was cold and hard in the truck bed. Occasionally she would peek through the slats to get an idea of where the truck was hurtling. All the same to her she thought. 

The rate of speed was slowing as they turned onto a unpaved sandy road. Lights were up ahead. Apparently the driver decided on getting some food at a small dive. Using the wooden slats to steady herself she wagered on standing to get a good look. The sign read 'Shelly's' From the appearance of the place it was a biker bar. A couple of Harley's and a lone Indian were parked up near the door. Also one or two late models poorly parked on the side. 

Hearing the door creak open she ducked. Inside her head she formed a plan for the moment...wait a few minutes for the driver to get settled inside then hop on out and get on her merry way. The merry way bit she didn't have a solution for. 

She had to ditch the suitcases when she went back to the church. But she did manage to stuff a couple of outfits in a grocery bag. This girl was on the run, she didn't so much mind that she'd brought only a few items. 

After all this was her life. Not a fashion show. Maybe for the other one, she choked bitterly. For once, she'd like to see her run, really run then she might have a small taste about how it is. That line of thought was time wasting and distracting for the task at hand. 

Steeling her nerves she sat ramrod straight staring off into the wooden slats. There was rustling and footsteps. Someone's coming. A slow gate and rapping on the slats. Did someone know she was there? Who she was...The police? 

The person leaned on the side of the truck, holding two warm pretzels. The scent of food set her stomach to a lurch. 

"So Lana Turner, you gonna hop outta their or what? Been waitin' on you." The accent was distinctly east coast, she narrowed it down to a Brooklyn one. 

"Aww come on sweethart. It ain't like I don't know your their..Can see you,capice?" 

Her eyes were hunting peeking through the slats but not coming any closer. His presence rattled her, did he know who she was? Nevermind that how'd he find her. Who was He? "We don't got to play these games. Although hell, I got all the time in the world I do. See? " As quietly as she could she sent a hand sneaking in her bag to locate a stake. 

"Oh so we gotta dance. Alright..." He walked around to the back of the truck, like a cat she arched her back up into the side of the truck. "How's about three guesses for me? Sound good?" 

Reaching up the latch the tailgate swung to the side in a creaking motion, just begging for the WD-40. The neon light from the sign spotlighted her in an obscene orange glow. 

"Ahh, Charity?" he said tipping up his fedora to catch a better look. "Hope? Nahhh. I know your thinkin' I'm up to three right?" He laughed hopping onto the flatbed so he sat next to her. "I got it. Faith. Gotta love the irony." The man offered her the other pretzel her stomache posed too much of an argument to decline food. Had she been on the road that long today? 

"What do you want?" Faith said flatly, picking pieces of the pretzel up and savouring it like the last food on earth. 

"Oh my heart," the short man said gesticulating wildly with his hands. "The Slayer. Quite a handle you got, Faith. I'm Whistler." the demon then tipped his hat to her. So far she wasn't impressed. "You know, with that lighting and the hair. Kinda works for me in a dime store Madonna way." He paused then to take a generous bite of his pretzel. 

"I am here for a reason. We gotta talk,dig? But not here. Never know when that brute's gonna come off the mechanical bull back there." He said, throwing his head back towards the bar to indicate the truck's owner. "Let's walk." 

Jumping out of the the truck, Faith stood and assessed the man. Vamp? No didn't have the vibe. But there was definitely something hinky with him. Whistler was about her size and dressed like a reject from Goodfellas. Faith proceeded to go on said walk, because she knew she could take him and the company might not be so bad for this leg of her run. 

"See you aren't much for the questions. The how and why...The who are you's of the world." The two starting walking at surprisngly swift pace. "Anyways kid, as mentioned. You are the Slayer, which we both know. We also know that you are copping to a few charges." Faith sighed and cocked her head to the side. So this is what it's about, is she having another bout with capture? "No no, hold your horses sweetheart. I'm not here to turn you in to nobody. Quite the opposite. Hey, over there, let's sit on one of those benches." The two sat down, apparently they wandered into a park replete with picnic tables. Faith said nothing and bit at her cheek, her mind elsewhere. 

"I'm sent to settle the score. If the table gets tipped in one direction to far...It is up to me to get it to swing back the other way. You know to even things up pretty nice. For a guy in my line of work, you don't get much direct contact with Slayers. But you know-a lucky one, seen a couple..." "Are we working up to a point anytime soon? I'm losing nightfall." Faith spat back petulantly, when there is so little of it, it's a commodity she never appreciates wasting. 

"Ho ho, settle down. Getting there. Something big is coming. The Nars. I mean that, it is gonna knock a lot of people for a loop,follow? Important players are gonna be lost if you don't help.." 

"Oh I get it, wicked bad evil comes to town, you want me to slay it for you." "I see I have to boil this down to the simplest point to get through to you." Whistler said tapping on his left temple. "You are a Slayer. This is your calling." 

"Me...Nope, out of the game. Buffy'll do it." 

"Wrong there kiddo, it's going to take you both. Faith, I have to be frank. Your time has passed, and I'm sorry about that. Robbed plain and simple. The path you've taken in the past, it's just that you can do something here. That no one else can do." 

"Let me guess now. I'm thinkin...Die, oh yeah Five by Five with that plan Chief, sign me up." The Slayer said sarcastically hooking her thumbs upwards for effect. 

Whistler sighed and drew a pack of cards out and splayed them on the table, beginning a game of solitaire. A few minutes passed with either party speaking. Faith was just about to rise when he spoke. 

"You have four roads, highway exits if you will. Take number 1 and you get a lovely stint in the local women's pokey for the rest of your natural life. You don't like that one, that's great onto number 2. The Watcher's Council, the 'Rule Britannia' boys come back here and snuff your ass so that they can have a controlled Council sanctioned Slayer." Stopping to arrange a few more cards. 

"Two more buddy, come on. Don't keep me in suspense." she said tossing back her hair and boring holes into his eyes, angered. 

"Sidesteppin' those two exits, you go on to number three which is running away from the Nars in the wake of all the carnage-and your scared retreating Slayerness gets served a complimentary murder from behind. Four, you face all you have ever feared, everything you have ever hated, wanted, your past the present, you garner everything that is inside you and you fight, hand in hand. Doing what you were meant to and stop this thing." 

"Just one thing. We don't know if I'd be able to stop it." With so many paths all leading to one place, she grew weary. So death was closer than anticipated, some life. Quite a ride. After being in Buffy's body and seeing Slayerness and their lives through Buffy's perception she was able to choose her path. If it was a swansong, call it that. One act, one path could effect so many. 

"I got someplace to be." The brunette slayer nodded at the demon. "Thanks for hooking me up with the pretzel. Gonne head out now." Whistler nodded and tipped his hat to her. It was all up to this Slayer now, she held the majour cards for this round, only time will tell the road chosen. 

The end. 


End file.
